BANGKOK — She is known as the voice of Myanmar’s downtrodden, but there is one oppressed group that Aung San Suu Kyi does not want to discuss.

For weeks, Suu Kyi has dodged questions on the plight of a Muslim minority known as the Rohingya, prompting rare criticism of the woman whose struggle for democracy and human rights in Myanmar have earned her a Nobel Peace Prize and adoration worldwide.

Human-rights groups have expressed disappointment, noting that the United Nations has referred to the Rohingya, widely reviled by the Buddhist majority in Myanmar, as among the most persecuted people on Earth. They say Suu Kyi could help ease the hatred in Myanmar and in make the world pay more attention to the Rohingya.

Analysts and activists say that Suu Kyi’s stance marks a new phase in her career: The former political prisoner is now a more calculating politician who is choosing her causes carefully.

“Politically, Aung San Suu Kyi has absolutely nothing to gain from opening her mouth on this,” said Maung Zarni, a Myanmar expert and visiting fellow at the London School of Economics. “She is no longer a political dissident trying to stick to her principles. She’s a politician, and her eyes are fixed on the prize, which is the 2015 majority Buddhist vote.”

The Rohingya have been denied citizenship even though many of their families have lived in Myanmar for generations. The U.N. estimates that 800,000 Rohingya live in Myanmar, where they face restrictions: They need permission to marry, have more than two children and travel outside their villages.

Myanmar considers the Rohingya to be illegal migrants from Bangladesh, but Bangladesh also rejects them, rendering them stateless.

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